


Life with the Dursleys

by Amledo



Series: Changed Perspectives [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family, Family Drama, Friend!Dudley, Gen, Harry as part of the family, Harry/Dudley friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Loving!Petunia, Loving!Vernon, No abuse, Non-Magical!Dudley, Sick!Harry, Sickness, Squib!Vernon, family love, squib!Petunia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2013-02-13
Packaged: 2017-11-28 19:52:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amledo/pseuds/Amledo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Prequel to 'Trains and Introductions' and 'The Potions Master' catch a glimpse of Harry's home life had the Dursleys been the loving family that they were meant to.  Prepare for Petunia and Vernon as squibs and fully loving and supportive guardians and an epic Harry and Dudley friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

Harry Potter was a normal, healthy, and happy three year old boy. He was full of energy and life, play time was always his favorite time of day. He could climb trees and run up the slides at the playground. He could make the swing move without Uncle Vernon pushing him, even though he still liked it when his Uncle alternated pushing him and Dudley so that both of them could see their feet touch the sky. Little Harry could brighten an entire room with one toothy smile and had never met an adult that he couldn't put a smile on. With Harry around, laughter was never far away, and when he was with his cousin Dudley, it was infectious.

The boys did everything together, they even shared a room. Of course it was either share a room or give up their carefully maintained hoard of toys in the play room next door. But both Petunia and Vernon knew that they wanted to share more than they cared about the toys. They knew this because they often had to prevent the boys from giving away a more favored toy to another child at the playground. Harry had come to them when he was 15 months old, and Petunia had mourned for her sister and brother-in-law for nearly a month, leaving the care of both children almost entirely to Vernon.

But Harry had been determined to make her feel better, unable to walk; he had talked to her over the baby monitor. She knew that he had been talking since around 9 months, but it healed her heart a little bit to know that he was talking to her. And when she finally felt like the grief was bearable, she found herself astounded that Dudley and Harry had bonded. Both boys seemed very aware of the fact that they were cousins and not brothers, but that didn't stop them from wanting to be together all the time.

Often, when there was nothing to do, the pair could be found playing in the yard under the ever watchful eye of Petunia. She knew that the boys tended to make a lot of noise and so she always had a cheery smile ready if one of their older neighbors saw fit to complain about them. Of course after a while she watched more carefully because Dudley loved wrestling, and Harry adored rugby and though they were similar in height and weight, neither boy had a good sense of their own strength. So she was never without a good stock of salve or bandages for the odd scraped knee, or skinned elbow, or even a scraped chin. The more creative the injury, the more the one wearing it would laugh at the puzzled look on Petunia's face.

Things didn't stay that way though. When Harry and Dudley were about four years old, things began to change. Dudley was suddenly ravenous and began to grow, larger, wider, and heavier while Harry could no longer eat lunch for fear of getting sick and began to shrink in size. This of course was cause for alarm to Petunia and Vernon as both boys had always been healthy and had never once done anything that the other didn't. Petunia took the children to the most highly recommended Doctors that she could find. Vernon soon grew so concerned that he took a month away from work to help his wife when the boys had separate appointments in two separate towns.

Both husband and wife were so worried and so anxious because of the turn of events that it began to take a toll on their health. Petunia lost so much weight that that she seemed to be nothing but skin and bones. Vernon reverted to his childhood habit of nervous eating and quickly gained twice what Petunia had lost. Before long each was a mirror of one of their suffering children and still the little family had no answers.

But when the doctors finally did call with the results of weeks and weeks of testing, the news was vague at best. Dudley had some type of thyroid condition that caused his body to continuously behave like it was expecting to be starved and thus hoarded calories and fats, yet Dudley's appetite was immense. Harry on the other hand, seemed to require three times the normal daily allowance of calories and vitamins just to grow properly, and with his reduced appetite, that was proving to be difficult.

"Vernon, I think that this might have something to do with You-Know-Who. I mean, someone tried to pay us to abuse Harry," Petunia said quietly as they were cleaning up dinner one night while the boys were busy in the next room playing with their new NES. They had only been allowed an hour and a half on the game system before bed and since it was a two player game, they weren't likely to eaves drop at the kitchen door.

"I suspected that it might. But we can't risk too many people knowing that he's here, or for that matter letting whoever it was, know that we care about him. Remember, we aren't supposed to love him, if they think that we do, then his entire account at Gringotts is at risk. As long as they are paying us then we know at least that the money is going back to Harry, even if it is in the Muggle world," Vernon said in reply, his mind still boiling with anger at the memory of the day when a hooded and cloaked figure had offered him money from Harry's own account to ensure that his nephew was done harm. He had accepted the offer and promptly set up a bank account in Harry's name into which every single weekly 600 quid payment had gone since.

He hoped that he had done it well enough so that no one knew that they weren't pocketing the money. No one in either the Muggle or Wizarding world needed to know that they hadn't touched a single shilling. As long as it looked like they were quietly accepting the money then no one else would show up to attempt to hurt Harry.

"I know, but it's not as if I don't go to Diagon Alley once in a while anyway. I just think that it couldn't hurt for me to pick up a few medical texts when I go to London next. I can go Christmas shopping as a cover. You can come with even. We can get the boys some sweets, maybe some kid's books, some of those exploding cracker toys that they liked so much. Then maybe, no one will notice if I pick up a copy of 'Magical Maladies' because Lilly's copy was from '73 and keeps telling me how out of date it is," Petunia said in a rush of air, turning on the tap and pulling on her dishwashing gloves.

The gloves were Dragon skin and had been a treat she picked up for herself when she went shopping for Harry's birthday. He had gotten a copy of 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' and a few children's school books or Potions and the History of Magic and a pile of candies. And she had gotten herself the gloves; they not only protected her hands, but conditioned her skin and left her nails freshly polished.

"We'll have to be careful dearest. Christmas is a few months off yet," Vernon advised, unsure if he and his wife should go on such a venture without protection.

"There's nothing for it. We will just have to talk to Tom. You know that he doesn't stand for people harassing Squibs. I know you don't like them, but we could just have him put a notice-me-not charm on us. He's gotten rather good at it, only shopkeepers can see you," Petunia said and Vernon gave a grudging nod. For some Squibs, having magic done near them caused a bit of physical irritation, Vernon's was represented by a ringing in his ears, Petunia was lucky enough to not have such an issue.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Dudley have adapted to their new levels of energy and their friendship continues to thrive.

"Come on Dudley, please?" Harry pleaded, his bony hands wrapped together in a little gesture of prayer as his large green eyes fixed on his cousin and best friend. They were both six years old and it was a warm but breezy day late in August, they would be starting their first official year of primary school in just a few days. They both knew their letters and could write simple words quite easily because of the kindergarten they had attended, Dudley still struggled with numbers sometimes, but that was due to number specific dyslexia—not that either boy knew what that was. But even so early in their school careers, both children had been the victims of bullying; Harry because he was frail and nearly as small as a four year old and Dudley because he was overweight and bigger than most nine year olds.

However, neither of them truly cared, because Harry had Dudley to protect him with sheer physical presence, and Harry could talk circles around anyone who would insult Dudley—they only ever used words with Dudley, he was far too big and strong to threaten. Their teachers and day care attendants knew that both boys had medical conditions and often chastised the other children for their behavior, but everything seemed to roll off of them like water off a duck's back anyway. Vernon and Petunia did not worry for either boy so long as the two were together.

"Harry we can't. Mum will have my hide if she knows that I let you burn up your energy. Let's just play Nintendo. You're finally growing, don't you want that?" Dudley said, his words deflating Harry at once, it was a speech that Dudley had learned from Petunia ages ago. They were always careful about letting Harry have too much playtime and he had already had the half hour that he was allowed earlier that morning. It was incredible that the tiny boy had any energy at all left over, but Dudley would stand his ground and protect his cousin, even from himself.

"Well then maybe you can just practice some of those wrestling moves and I can watch you? I can maybe tell you if you aren't doing it quite right?" Harry was desperate to stay outside in the fresh air and to not go back inside where he knew that Aunt Petunia had another potion waiting for him. It wasn't that he didn't want to get better, it was that his potions, Nutrient Potions, tasted like broth, and he hated broth. The ones that he had been taking lately were vegetable flavored and gave him 250 calories, whatever those were. He knew that Chicken was 500 calories and that if he needed Beef flavored that it was a full 1000 calories and something had gone very wrong that day. Once and only once he had been given Pork flavored potion a 2500 calorie dose and what a normal adult was supposed to eat in a day. He had been unable to stand up or open his eyes and couldn't move anything more than what was required to swallow the drink.

"That's fine. I can do that. Go sit on the garden bench," Dudley said with a relieved smile. He would get the extra exercise that he needed to burn away some of his unnecessary weight and Harry would sit still long enough to maybe gain some. For as long as he could remember, he had loved wrestling and once he had been able to play wrestling with Harry, but those days were over and so Harry had become his coach. Someday Dudley wanted to be part of a school wrestling team, but he didn't know if he could bring himself to apply when he knew that Harry would never get to participate in Rugby like he had always wanted.

Harry placed himself on the bench and glanced up at the kitchen window; Aunt Petunia was in the kitchen like always when they were out in the back garden to play. Today though, he knew that she was polishing the pewter cauldron that she had received from Harry's mother Lily when they had discovered that Petunia could still brew potions. She was decent at the art; Harry knew that she could never be an expert because she was a Squib, another word that Harry didn't fully understand. But she was able to make the Nutrient Potions that made sure that Harry was able to grow a little bit. No one had ever told him why they didn't just give him enough to make sure he would grow, but he understood that it was important that someone somewhere thought he was going to stay small.

Dudley was stretching out, his legs were actually quite long and though he was large, he made the movements of any exercise look almost graceful. It was true that when they were really young, neither of them could control their strength, but now that they had gotten bigger, or maybe because Dudley knew how fragile Harry could be, the blonde boy had become very gentle. On a number of occasions he had lightly picked Harry up and carried him into the house because exhaustion had struck in the middle of playtime. He handled Harry like a china doll and perhaps if anybody at school ever worked that out, they might think to challenge Dudley to a fight. But as Harry watched Dudley perform a perfect elbow drop on a cushion from a lawn chair, he knew that if needed, Dudley could stand against an army of bullies.

"Turn your left foot a little bit more to the right," Harry advised when he noticed that a lunge was upsetting Dudley's balance and making the move ineffective. It was meant to be a shoulder takedown, but Dudley didn't have anyone or anything to practice on so he just went through the forms. One day, when he was old enough—or maybe sooner give how much bigger he was than kids his age—Dudley would make a champion wrestler. But Harry knew that he was going to have to convince his cousin that Dudley's participation would be good enough for both of them.

After an hour of practice, with minor corrections from Harry now and again, Aunt Petunia called them into the kitchen for dinner. Harry sighed when he noted that the glass that had been placed next to his plate was full of the Chicken flavored 500 calorie potion. Dinner was veggie lasagna with a side of corn off the cob, a representation of the diet that Aunt Petunia had imposed on the family for Dudley and Vernon's sakes. Harry was allowed snacks and candy when he could stomach them, but otherwise made up the calories in potions and slightly larger portions.

They ate mostly in silence, the food was delicious and Harry had a second helping of the lasagna which put a big smile on Aunt Petunia's face. Dessert was apple wedges with blueberry yogurt sauce or peanut butter, and by the end of it Harry was quite full, though he could tell that Dudley and Vernon were still hungry. The diet would fail before long, no matter how delicious the food, if hunger started gnawing at them. But Harry kept his fingers crossed that maybe it would work and they would get everyone back to where they were supposed to be.


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dudley joins the wrestling team, and Harry is as supportive as ever.

"Harry James Potter!" Aunt Petunia's voice was a shriek that hurt their ears and both Harry and Dudley knew that they were in trouble because she sounded scared. They had just gotten home from school the two nine year olds had stayed late so that Dudley could try out for Wrestling. He had gotten in but was wrestling with the 6th graders instead of the 4th graders because of how big and strong he was. Still having a weight problem he was probably always going to be bigger than his classmates and would most certainly remain bigger than Harry. He was so much bigger in fact that he was currently carrying Harry like a backpack for weight training with both of their back packs also hanging off either shoulder.

Petunia came into the hall just as Dudley was helping Harry to slide to the ground. Dudley already stood 5'6" tall while Harry was only 4'2" and the size difference was highlighted by the fact that Harry hardly had a spare pound of fat on him and Dudley had several. Both knew why Aunt Petunia was mad, Harry should have gotten home on the bus over an hour before and they hadn't thought to use the school phone to call ahead and explain themselves.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick," Aunt Petunia said and knelt to wrap Harry in a tight hug before standing to hug her son as well. This was the customary welcome home that they received and both wondered if she would ever get tired of it.

"I'm sorry Mom, I asked Harry to stay with me because I was nervous about tryouts today. We should have called, I'm sorry," Dudley was quick to apologize as always. He hated to see his mother upset.

"I know sweetie, I know. How did it go?" Petunia asked as she carried their bags into the kitchen and placed them at the table. They always did their homework in the kitchen while she cooked dinner so that she could help them and they could help her. Now that they were older she often trusted them near the stove, or in Harry's case, at the cauldron and they were happy to help lighten her load.

"I got a spot with the 6th grade team since there's no one in my weight class in 4th or 5th. But that doesn't matter too much, I should be able to hold my own," Dudley said proudly and earned a kiss on the head from his similarly proud Mother. Academically Harry was better than Dudley, and both boys accepted this fact, Dudley accepting Harry's help, which Harry never forgot to offer. Over the years the gap between them had gotten smaller, Harry still pulling top marks and Dudley just a few places beneath him. But Dudley would always excel in any physical effort, which was why he had tried out in the first place, so that he could have an outlet for that strength.

"That's wonderful darling. You just make sure to be careful. I know that you are used to being the strongest one out there but compared to some of those boys…" Petunia shook her head slightly.

"Against some of them you might stand as much of a chance as I would against you," Harry provided as he plunked his math book down and opened it to the pages that they had been assigned.

"I know that. Don't worry, I'll be careful. I promise," Dudley assured before copying Harry's move and opening his math book, knowing that the subject still gave him the most trouble.

"Thank you dear. And thanks for making sure that Harry didn't walk home," Petunia said and placed a Nutrient Potion by Harry's elbow. He uncapped and downed the Vegetable flavor potion without saying a word. He had gotten to enjoy the flavors as the years wore on. The chicken was his favorite of course, but he was learning to like vegetable, because it meant that he was having a better day. Of course he was still going to have to drink the chicken one with dinner since he still couldn't manage to eat lunch at school.

"No problem Mom. He's pretty good for weight training and keeping a look out for ambushes," Dudley joked and Harry smiled, it had been a long time since anyone had tried to corner them on the way home. Sometimes when Dudley decided to walk and put Harry on the bus the blonde boy would have trouble with a few of the kids, but none of them dared to touch him.

"He's your cousin Dudley, not a bit of exercise equipment," Uncle Vernon said by way of greeting and ruffled Dudley's hair before lightly patting Harry on the head. Vernon had done well with slimming down, he was not entirely back to where he should be, but he was getting there. No one mentioned that Dudley seemed to be a bit behind his father in this respect and both Petunia and Vernon suspected that Dudley as well as Harry had been cursed.

They couldn't do anything about it though, not without alerting the Wizarding world that Harry was being well cared for. In recent months they had begun to receive inquiry letters from an 'AD' to check up on the fact that Harry was still undersized and weak. They always replied in the affirmative but never entirely said that they were also heaping added abuses like excessive chores or punishments on the boy, which they knew were things that were expected of them. They had never told Harry any of this; it just didn't seem like a good idea to scare him away from the world that he loved so much. His only experiences with it were through books and helping Aunt Petunia with his potions, but he loved it none the less and the idea that he a power inside of him that made up for his physical weakness made him giddy.

"It's okay Uncle Vernon; I didn't have the energy to walk home anyway. Besides, he needs to exercise whenever he can now that he's going to be wrestling with 6th graders," Harry said with a proud smile on his lips. He may have always wanted to be in rugby, but he wanted to see his cousin compete as well.

"You made the team? That's fantastic son! This weekend I'll take us all out to the Cinema to celebrate," Vernon declared and Dudley blushed. He had grown up receiving praise, but somehow had never gotten used to it and so always blushed brightly whenever someone said something good about him.

"Thanks Dad," Dudley murmured and put his head down to start going over his fractions, which Harry was long since done with. Dudley didn't even need to ask; Harry just lifted his head from his history work and started to recite the numbers on the paper out loud. Number based dyslexia had helped Dudley to fail many a test and were it not for Harry or one of his parents taking the time to tell him the exact sequence of numbers, he probably would have failed quite a lot of homework as well. Both boys were finished with their work just in time for dinner and Dudley carried their bags up to their room while Harry helped to set the table.


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its the last few days of summer and the boys are about to go off to school. Harry is reluctant to leave Dudley alone at Smeltings and voices his concerns about going off to Hogwarts. Dudley helps change his mind.

"What's the matter Harry?" Dudley asked as he sat on the open swing beside his cousin. Harry had been doing a lot better lately, he was nearly the size that he was supposed to be and his energy was staying up a little. Dudley himself was down quite a few pounds but was still working on it. They were all worried that he wouldn't be able to keep to his diet when he went to Smelting's that fall. Harry blushed slightly and looked up at Dudley.

"I don't know if I want to go," Harry admitted softly. He knew that Dudley wished sometimes to have Magic, to not be a muggle, but Harry had never told them that sometimes he wished that he wasn't a Wizard. His Hogwarts letter had come just a few short days after Dudley had turned eleven and it had hurt. He wanted to go to school with his cousin; they had been making plans for him just in case but now he knew that he was going to attend Wizarding School.

"Harry, come on, you know that it won't be so bad. You've got a power in you that I can never have, and it's strange and amazing and you should learn as much as you can about it. You aren't going to stop being what you are by sticking your head in the sand and pretending that you aren't," Dudley said soothingly and Harry smiled in response.

"It isn't that Dudley. I don't know if I can handle 10 months without you guys," Harry told his cousin, wondering if he should feel ashamed. Dudley was going to be away at Smelting's for the same length of time after all and Vernon and Petunia would be left with an empty house. It wasn't going to be easy for any of them and Harry felt a little selfish for thinking about himself at such a time.

"Hey, you'll write, I'll write. We will see each other at Christmas. You'll see Harry, it'll all work out. You will make some new friends; maybe I'll even make some. Things will be fine," Dudley assured, smiling in relief when Harry nodded. He clapped his cousin lightly on the shoulder and kicked the ground to start the swing moving.

"I will have to send your letters by way of Aunt Petunia though. She says that it might be weird if you got seen with an owl at school," Harry said calmly.

"It's alright; owl post doesn't work with me anyway. Mum and Dad have a bit of that spark in them and so the owls can work with them, me, there's nothing. Not that I mind, what with that whole bird allergy thing," Dudley responded, glancing over as Harry twisted up the chains of the swing, toes planting half-circle shapes in the dirt as he spun around.

"You aren't allergic, you just don't want to get bitten again," Harry joked and Dudley's face flamed red. He hadn't quite liked birds since he was about 8 when a parrot had bitten his finger at the zoo. Over time he had created his allergy to distance himself from the uncomfortable association. Harry was the only one that cared to challenge it and often Dudley woke with Hedwig perched on the head of his bed. He knew that Harry wasn't being malicious about it and most days it did make him laugh, but he still hadn't worked up the nerve to do more than allow the snowy owl to be near him.

"You've no idea how grateful I am that you've never chosen to share that little gem with the kids at school," Dudley said and they both laughed. Dudley the gentle giant wrestles 8th graders, frightens everyone so much they won't think about beating him up, terrified of things with feathers.

"I could, but it wouldn't have been any fun. I never have liked it when people pick on other kids," Harry said quite firmly and let go of the tension he had wound into the swing, spinning madly around in a circle, his glasses flying off of his face and landing near Dudley. The larger boy scooped up the black frames and checked to make sure they weren't broken. Petunia was not the sort to be pleased if someone's foolishness resulted in something getting broken, mostly because she was terrified by the fact that something more important could have been broken instead.

Dudley sighed and placed Harry's glasses back over smiling green eyes. They had a bit less than a month left together, Harry's school supplies were all bought and taken care of, Petunia and Vernon had bought them with their own money. Harry had been shown his Gringotts vault from which he was allowed to take nothing, if he needed pocket money his Aunt and Uncle would take care of it. They had mostly gone to show him the pictures of his parents and the books that he would be able to remove when he turned 17. It had been an emotional experience and Dudley had been enlisted to carry Harry back to the cart.

"You just take care of yourself there okay? I won't be there to protect you and that scares me," Dudley whispered and hugged his cousin tightly.

"You too Dudley, you too," Harry muttered in response, tightening his arms around Dudley before stepping away and glancing up the street. Aunt Petunia was calling them to lunch, and though Harry did not eat the meal, he was expected to sit at the table and at least have a potion or a glass of water.

"Sorry, I was supposed to be bringing you home for lunch," Dudley said and Harry nodded, they sometimes got distracted when they talked. They started home at a pace that Harry could manage. It was a lot faster ever since he had started to grow, his legs still weren't as long as Dudley's and he would never be able to beat his larger cousin in a race as long as he was still sick, but there was a bit smaller of a gap. He could remember the days when they had been perfectly equal and missed them at times, but he was just happy to have a cousin and an Aunt and an Uncle that loved and cared about him even though he was sickly and weak. He was going to miss them fiercely when he went to Hogwarts.


End file.
